Details

• United States of America
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

Preparing for the Winter Semester (Fall Term) 2025 requires early planning and careful organization. The application process at WU is generally well structured. I had an interview together with two other students, and most of the questions focused on the United States, which already gave me a strong indication that I would be placed there. I would recommend preparing for some basic motivational questions, but not overpreparing, as the interview is fairly relaxed. It is also helpful to research partner universities thoroughly and to read experience reports from former exchange students in order to set realistic expectations. Additionally, future students should not be influenced by acceptance rates. Just because the University of Illinois accepts a large number of exchange students does not mean that it is a bad university. At first, many of us were unsure what to expect with such a high number of international students, but these concerns disappeared very quickly once the semester started.

2. Accommodation

For my accommodation, we chose an off campus Airbnb rather than a student residence and lived together in a full house with four people. This option turned out to be cheaper than most on campus housing options and was very convenient in terms of flexibility, as we did not have to deal with subleasing at all. In terms of safety, we never had any issues and generally felt comfortable in our neighborhood since it was only families. However, the distance to campus was sometimes annoying, especially after 6 pm and on weekends, when public transportation options were not available. Thats why we used the electric scooters from Veo, which are widely available around campus, were extremely helpful and often made commuting much easier. Looking back, my main tip would be to prepare for subleasing as early as possible if you choose on campus or private housing, as it can be a good solution but also involves a certain level of risk if not planned properly.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus at the host university is very large, which made it slightly challenging to find everything at the beginning. However, once I got used to it, I really appreciated the infrastructure and the overall campus environment. Even though many classes were relatively large, I liked the teaching style very much, as professors were highly engaged, cared about students, and even knew everyone by name. They were very supportive and genuinely tried to help students achieve the best grades possible. The main library was quite different from the one at WU Vienna, but since I did not spend much time studying for exams, I only used it a few times during the semester. Pro Tip: The Sibel center of design is a underrated study spot. In terms of daily life on campus, there were many food options available on Green Street, and the bus system connected all major buildings and residence halls very efficiently, which made getting around campus easy and convenient.

5. Every day life in the host country

Everyday life at the host university was very active and offered many opportunities to get involved. There were countless student clubs, all of which were presented during Quad Day, which made it easy to explore different interests. Personally, I mainly focused on sports and spent a lot of time at the gym and playing tennis on the outdoor courts. Pickleball was also very popular, and I often played it together with my roommates. To get around, I mostly used the bus system, especially to reach the ARC(gym), which worked very reliably and made transportation easy. In terms of safety, I generally felt very safe throughout my stay. Although there was one shooting during the time I was there, it did not involve students and did not affect daily campus life. Socially, bars were a common and enjoyable activity that I would definitely recommend. Additionally if you are a boy, during the first week, simply walking around the fraternities was a great way to meet people, especially as an international student. They were very open and welcoming toward internationals, which made these experiences both fun and informative.

6. Testimonial

What made my exchange special were definitely the people. We had a large group of international students, and I really enjoyed doing activities and traveling together, such as trips to Nashville and Indianapolis. These shared experiences created strong connections that made the exchange truly memorable. Football season and the summer like vibes on campus also contributed to a unique atmosphere that you can really only experience in Illinois. The strong student spirit made everyday life feel very special, and I am confident that I will stay in touch with many of the people I met long after the exchange.